Page 31 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part Two

Her anger was rising along with her voice. He straightened and faced her, taking in her elevated heartbeat and dilated pupils. Her wolf blood was still responding to his claim that he had been with another woman. Jealousy was rife in the air, and the pull towards her was messing with his head. But the ache in his chest was still as raw as the day he had found her trying to leave. He had to hold on to that so he didn’t fall into the trap again.

“Well, is it real?” Layla continued. “Is it a werewolf? Tell me that, at least.”

“Come out of my room, Layla. Britney is waiting for you.”

His voice was lower and husky. Cain was still so high on what he had done in the basement that being with the object of his desires wasn’t a good idea. He should have gone to the other suite until he’d calmed down.

“No! You keep avoiding me. Like a fucking asshole, you locked me up in that dank little room even though I’m carrying your baby. And now you’re telling me that you’ve just fucked another wo—”

Layla cut herself off and looked away, but he could see her wolf in her eyes. Pissed off didn’t begin to describe what he felt from her. She was as angry as the day he had peeled her off Amber. Maybe making her angry in a hotel full of humans had been the wrong thing to do, considering he had no idea what her wolf was capable of.

But damned if her possessiveness didn’t turn him on.

He tensed and tried to take control of his body and his wolf, but Cain was ready to reunite with their mate despite how much she had hurt them. How much they still hurt.

“I’ve had to hear all their whispers,” Layla whispered. “I feel all their hate. I’ve lived with the burden of all those lives lost on my shoulders alone in that room, and I feel like I have no right to complain anymore. The least you can do is tell me what you’ve dragged me into so I can learn how to protect myself. I need to feel safe again, Jackson.”

Her whispered plea hit him in his already destroyed heart. He’d heard those whispers, too, but was she really blaming herself for the attack? It wasn’t her fault he had started reading more into their relationship. It wasn’t her fault that she could even stomach the thought of leaving, much less try to carry it out.

He was the one who was a broken mess at her feet. He should have known better.

Like he needed to know better now.

“You need to leave,” he said. His voice cracked with the strain of holding it all in. “I understand what you’re saying, and I swear I’ll tell you everything you need to know. But I need you to give me some space right now.”

“No,” Layla said, turning back to him. “Once we go back, I’ll be back in that room, and you’ll avoid me again. I need answers now. Right now, Jackson. Tell me what the fuck is going on.”

He knew his eyes were red when he met her gaze, but she didn’t look away. It was her wolf’s eyes he was looking into. Gorgeous, glowing emerald eyes. It was a challenge he was too weak to resist. He’d never been a saint at the best of times, but when it came to this cold-hearted woman...

Did she realise she was closing the space between them? Did she know he could scent her arousal? Could she sense how turned on he was?

Did she know she was on the verge of being ravished by a starving animal?

‘No!' he screamed in his head.

'Yes,' Cain growled.

'She'll ruin us.'

'We're already ruined,' Cain said just as Layla stopped right in front of him.

Her scent pulled him in, and like all the other times, all his objections melted away.

There was nothing left on his mind but Layla.

Chapter 18

Jackson lowered his head to hers and waited to see if she would turn away. She needed to. Something told him there would be no turning back this time.

But if she pushed him off, that could kick some sense into his head. If she reminded him how much her human side wanted to leave him, he wouldn’t have to break his word to himself. He wouldn’t have to fall into the trap again.

But Layla’s breath hitched, and her lips parted. He could see the fire in her eyes as lust poured off her in waves that wiped out any other emotion she had been feeling.

“Do you know what it does to me when you challenge me, my little mate?” he whispered when his lips were a hair’s breadth away from hers. “I swore I would stay away from you. Stop me now, Layla, because this won’t end well for either of us.”

Layla didn’t push him away. Her beautiful glowing eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into him and put her mouth on his.

And just like that, the hole in his chest disappeared.

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